


I Came to Say Goodbye

by happyxwalsh



Series: Season 1 [3]
Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: 1x04: Let’s Get to Scooping, Angst, Connor Walsh - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oliver Hampton - Freeform, protective!oliver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-03-11 07:06:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13519065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyxwalsh/pseuds/happyxwalsh
Summary: The night of the bonfire Connor shows up at Oliver’s, wanting to apologise, because he needs to escape Philly so he doesn’t go to jail.





	1. Chapter 1

He was screwed, so screwed. Connor just helped cover up a murder, the law student could feel his mind slipping away with his will to stay. If he didn’t leave right now, he’d go to jail. Yet, there’s something holding him back. Oliver. Of course, he couldn’t leave without giving him an apology. After all, Connor knew he was an ass and wished he handled things better. This was his last chance to fix things.

With a series of intense knocks, Oliver opens the door and instantly looks pissed off.

“I know you hate me, you’re not the only one who does. All I want to do is say goodbye and apologise. I’m fucked up, Oliver, I don’t know what a good relationship is. Until you, maybe I hated the fact that you made me feel something or I scared myself when I started to trust someone. I’m aware that I’m a bad person, such a bad person,” Connor tugs on his hair, hoping he doesn’t run out of time to say everything.

“Connor-“ Oliver’s face softens, trying to make logic of this whole new version of the younger man.

“I love you, Ollie. You need to know that, especially if this is the last I’ll ever see you again.”

Oliver was so confused, why is he saying all of this now? Why apologise now? Something really bad must of happened to completely destroy Connor’s sense of self, “What’s wrong?” The older man grabbed the panicked man’s shoulder, hoping for a answer.

“I screwed up, Oliver, so bad. I screwed up. I screwed up,” Connor began to crumble to the floor, crying, repeating the phrase over and over again, “I screwed up.”

To see his ex boyfriend in this state caused Oliver’s heart to ache. He’d be lying if he said he wished this never happened, the older man was glad to have seen this side of the emotionally closed off law student.

“It’s going to be okay, Connor, but what happened?” All the younger man could do was cry and bury his head in his hands, he tried to speak but no words managed to escape his lips, “Why are you saying goodbye? Do you need me to call someone? Are you going to-“ Oliver couldn’t even finish that sentence, it would break his heart.

“I screwed up, so bad, Oliver. I’ve really fucked up this time, I can’t stay here,” he cries out to ex, knelt beside him with his hand on him.

“You’re not going anywhere, okay? You are Connor Walsh and you can fight whatever is going on with you,” the older man pulled the broken man into a tight hug, letting him cry on his shoulder, “please, tell me what’s wrong.”

“I have to leave town, something really bad happened and I just need to get away,” Connor mumbled into Oliver’s neck.

“I’m not letting you leave, Connor. As bad as we left things, I’ll protect you. You’ll _always_ have me,” he pulls back to wipe the tears off the law students face.

“But I don’t deserve you. I can’t ask you to ruin your life, just because I fucked up, Ollie,” a timid voice whispers out.

“Tell me everything and I promise you that I will still help. No matter how bad, I’ll protect you,” Connor then looked up at Oliver, hoping seeing his face would talk him out of what he was about to do. It didn’t.

“I helped cover up a murder tonight.”


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver stood there, shocked, staring at the lawyer who is falling apart right before his very eyes. A murder coverup? The older man had so many questions, that was the last thing he expected Connor to say, but he knew asking him while he’s frantic isn’t a good plan.

“Come inside, you can calm down and tell me what happened,” he tried to say as soft as possible, so Connor would do what he said. All the younger man could do in response is nod his head slightly and to latch onto Oliver’s wrist. The law student pushes himself off the ground, trying to not rely on Oliver. He never wanted to need someone, but here he is. Connor Walsh, a human hurricane, crashing back into his ex’s life. He’s just trying to get through this night, without completely falling apart.

Holding Connor with his left arm, he helps him over to his bed. Oliver figured some familiarity might calm him down, “would you like your favourite pillow to hold?” The younger man nods, attempting to take deep breaths. It gets easier once the pillow is in his arms, but it doesn’t mean the tears aren’t falling down his face, “it’s okay, you can tell me everything about the-“

“Murder?” He lets out a dry laugh, “I wish I never came to Philadelphia, this nightmare wouldn’t be something I’m going through,” the panicked man sniffled.

“Only downside is that we wouldn’t have met. We may have left things on bad terms, but I don’t regret what happened. Do- do you?”

“No, it’s the only good decision I’ve made in a long time. Cheating on you was a mistake though and I’m sorry,” Connor looks up at Oliver, who’s eyes are filled with nothing but concern, and faintly smiles.

“I know you are and as for tonight,” The older man wraps his arm around Connor’s shoulders, “I’ll protect you, it’s not the first time I’ve done illegal shit.”

“Sorry for that too,” the law student rests his head on the older man’s shoulder, entwining their hands.

“You’re not the first person to get me into a web of illegal activities, I used to work for the government,” Connor felt his heart sink, the murder accomplice sure as hell wasn’t expecting that and he just helped kill someone.

“Government? I really shouldn’t be here, maybe I should go,” shakily, he stands up and drops the pillow on the ground. Oliver grabs ahold of his wrist, preventing Connor from running off.

“Don’t go, like I said, I’m protecting you. I will _always_ protect you, will you stay for me?” Oliver whispered out into the air, hoping his desperation for Connor to stay didn’t show.

“I’d do anything for you, Ollie,” the younger man shuffled back over to the bed and they both sat in silence. As if they were too scared to say anything else, like one wrong word and they’d both break. Unsure of what to do next, the hacker gets up to take off Connor’s shoes and coat, “what are you doing?” The other man mumbled, taken back by the sudden undressing.

“You need sleep, get under the covers,” Oliver directed him over to the head of the bed and put the covers over the traumatised man’s trembling body.

“Will you stay with me?” Connor’s timid, broken voice makes out, barely sounding like a whisper.

“Of course,” a smile appears on the older man’s face, “I’m not going anywhere,” he slides under the covers himself and wraps his arms around the law student, making the younger man feel calm for the first time that night. He felt himself drifting off to sleep, Oliver smiled at the sight and thought to himself. _‘There’s no way in hell I’m letting anything happen to you.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to someone on the last chapter for giving me the idea of making Oliver some sort to government worker, I’m always happy to hear suggestions for these because I want to create something that you will love too.


	3. Chapter 3

Tired and terrified, that’s how Connor feels, not even the warmth of Oliver’s embrace could shake those feelings. He’s trapped, in the trauma of the night of December 13 2014, but at least he has Oliver now.

The younger man looks up at the sleeping figure, clutching onto him for dear life. Connor’s too vulnerable to let go, as if Oliver is his oxygen and he’d die without him, “Ollie?” He whispers out, trusting he’ll make the anxiety building up inside of him go away.

“Connor? Are you okay?” The older man slowly opens his eyes, trying to focus on the emotionally drained law student.

“No, but you make me feel slightly better,” he snuggles in closer to Oliver, “thank you.”

“It’s no problem, I care about you, Connor. Nothing is going to happen to you, I won’t allow it,” the older man kisses the top of Connor’s head and runs his hand through the younger man’s hair, “I’ll protect you, no matter what.”

“I don’t deserve you, Ollie, I really don’t. I’ve missed you, sorry for,” exhaling a breath, “ _everything_ ,” Oliver observes Connor, taking in all the little things about him.

“I’ve missed you too,” the smile Connor expresses, at those four words, is enough to brighten the whole world. Oliver knows he made the right decision letting him in.

  
-•-•-•-

  
_Bonnie 8:23am  
Need you to come by the house now._

Connor feels like crying and screaming, he can’t go back into that house. In the last 24 hours, everything has gotten so screwed up. There’s nothing he wants more than to stay with Oliver all day, to be safe in his arms.

“You okay?” Oliver breaks Connor out of thoughts, making Connor slightly flinch in the process.

“Bonnie needs us at the house, I have a feeling it’s about Sam. Can I- can I come back?” The older man looks at the law student, observing his vulnerability, and knows he can’t betray the trust that Connor clearly feels towards him.

“Of course, you can always come back to me. I’m here you, Connor,” Oliver’s hand makes his way over to the younger man’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closer to his chest, “you’re not alone, especially now that I’m here.”

“Oliver Hampton, you are perfect. Has anyone ever told you that?” Connor pulls away from the hug, to see the hacker’s face. He’s cheeks have gone a slightly faded red, an adorable smile forms from his lips.

“You’re the first one. I called in sick, so I’ll be here when you get back. If any evidence needs to be taken care of, I’ll take care of it- and you,” the law student’s head snaps up, hiding a smile. He wonders how Oliver knows exactly what to say to make the feelings of paranoia and misery disappear. Connor just wishes he could do that with all of his problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short one, but I have a long list of ideas for fanfics and I’m trying to write them. Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Connor’s been through a lot in his life; he watched his mom have a nervous breakdown, he’s spent his entire childhood feeling alone with massive trust issues, he found out his entire existence is a lie, and dealt with his own inner demons, however, nothing has ever made him feel so broken than walking back into the house where his entire life changed forever. The law student kept seeing images of Sam’s bloody head, imagining what could of have happened if he had just studied by himself. Maybe he wouldn’t be in the mess.

Wes, Michaela, and Laurel are all hovering when he arrives, which definitely isn’t helping the anxiety gripping onto his lungs, “we’re all screwed then,” he whispers causing everyone to turn to look at him.

“Don’t say that, we’ll be fine,” Wes reassures him. Connor appreciates that he’s trying to calm him down, but he saw Wes kill someone and he has a right to be freaking out.

“Because all murderers end up _fine_ ,” the law student points out, sarcastically, while he rolls his eyes.

“Look, just keep your mouth shut and it will be fine,” Laurel crosses her arms, glaring at him, “where did you go after you dropped us off?”

“I went to Oliver’s.”

“You dropped me off last and it was already 5:45. I bet he wasn’t happy to see you,” Michaela snidely comments.

“He didn’t really get a chance to express his discomfort because I started having a nervous breakdown. After a while, I told him everything and he’s covering for us,” The younger man rushes these words out of his mouth, hoping it would be a lot less painful. It wasn’t.

“What the hell? How can you be sure you can trust him? Connor, you cheated on him. This could be his revenge on you,” Michaela hisses, standing up from her chair, bordering on hysteric.

“Stop being dramatic. Oliver isn’t like that; he wouldn’t even harm a mass murderer, let alone an accidental murderer,” Connor mutters toneless.

“You better be sure about this Oliver,” Laurel huffs, looking back over some study notes.

“He’s the only thing I’m sure of.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left!


	5. Home

Oliver nervously waits around for the law student to come back to his place; they’ve texted on and off all day, as a small comfort tool for Connor. It helped the younger man a lot because he felt on the edge the entire day, but Oliver kept the panic from going out of control which is more than what Connor could do for himself his whole life. Now, he just wants to go _home_.

The law student sleepily shuffles to apartment 303, craving the hacker’s soothing touch. God knows, he needs a hug after the last 24 hours and Oliver being the one to hug him is simply a bonus.

The door swings open, as soon as he reaches directly outside Oliver’s apartment. “Oh, hey. How was your day?” The older man kindly smiles, holding the door for him so he may come in.

“Exhausting, but I missed you,” vulnerability fills his eyes, momentarily paralysing him. They may have established this fact earlier on, but for some reason, it feels more real now. Like Connor needs to know if Oliver actually wants to be tangled up in his mess.

“I missed you too; I’m really glad you came back,” the hacker confesses, unsure of what will happen next.

“I had to come home at some point, right?”

“You see this place as home? That’s so sweet,” Oliver blushes, in awe.

“Not this place, you; you are my home,” Oliver focuses on his comforting eyes and leans in close. Their lips are at touching distance, one more move and they’ll be connected once again. Connor makes the final lean and it’s like fireworks explode in their hearts. And, finally, Connor is back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END OF ERA! Thanks for all of your support <3


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